Join me in a tasty New Year’s resolution! Let’s put some power on our plates and recap the benefits of super nutrition with the help of Dr. Steven Pratt. His best-selling SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life highlights delicious foods everyone already loves.

Take pumpkin, one of Pratt’s "super" foods. Naturally low in calories and fat, rich in vitamin A and an excellent source of fiber, canned pumpkin should be a staple in every pantry. It’s inexpensive, widely available and can be called on at a moment’s notice to provide a nourishing soup, casserole or dessert.

Enjoy the versatility of this delicious ingredient year-round in soups, breads, smoothies and more. Delicious, easy-to-use, versatile and beautifully hued, pumpkin is also one of my favorite flavors. Mix canned pumpkin with low-fat or nonfat yogurt or with applesauce for a delicious, fiber-rich treat. You can drizzle it with buckwheat honey and top with a few raisins for a sweet treat.

Start your pumpkin practice with one of my favorites: Creamy Pumpkin Soup delivers super nutrition in every delicious, satisfying bowl. I love the fact that it provides twice the daily requirement of vitamin A in every serving and a good source of fiber in the bargain.

Plus, when you go to www.VeryBestBaking.com you can find a fun SuperFoods IQ quiz, sign up to receive a free Libby’s Pumpkin Sensibly Delicious Recipe booklet with some of Dr. Pratt’s favorite pumpkin recipes and enter for a chance to win a copy of his new book, SuperFoods Healthstyle.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP
(Makes 5 servings)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 can (14 1/2 fluid ounces) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY’S 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ CARNATION Evaporated Milk
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add broth, water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
TRANSFER mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); process until smooth. Return to saucepan. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information per serving: 230 calories; 140 calories from fat; 15 g total fat; 10 g saturated fat; 50 mg cholesterol; 490 mg sodium; 17 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugars; 7 g protein